Warmer weather on the way after NSW records iciest June in almost 20 years

Ocean swimmers wade into cold winter water at Maroubra beach in Sydney despite the brisk weather. The BoM says minimum temperatures plunged during June mornings. Photograph: Bec Lorrimer/The Guardian

Relief is on the way for the remainder of winter after parts of Australia shivered through the coldest seasonal weather in decades, with minimum temperatures dropping to -8C in some alpine areas.

Dr Paul Feikema, a senior hydrologist at the Bureau of Meteorology said warmer than average days and nights were expected for most of the country through to spring.